


Inside My World

by Softrockandshowtunesgirlscout22



Category: Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: AU, F/M, Glenya, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2020-07-25 20:06:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20031589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Softrockandshowtunesgirlscout22/pseuds/Softrockandshowtunesgirlscout22
Summary: Modern AU. Anya and Gleb meet one summer while both of them are in boarding school and what begins as friendship develops into so much more. Glenya.





	1. First Meeting

It was a rainy late August morning, the morning before Anya and Alexei were meant to leave for boarding school. She was 15 and her little brother was 9. It had not been an easy decision for her parents to have Alexei so far away but they both felt it was time he started interacting with other children his own age. St. Peter's was different from Anya's former school because it had been founded by people who had known Nicholas's Grandfather back in their homeland in Russia. 

All of the Romanov children had been born there, but their father's work at the embassy had forced them to move for good to England when Alexei was just a newborn. They spoke several languages at home, including Russian and French.

That last Sunday together was bittersweet; they would be starting classes on Monday, with only Maria there to support either of them.

Olga and Tatiana, who were older, were in University, though they visited regularly. Anya, as she was affectionately called by her family, woke up late, her dog Jimmy slept in a small cot besides her bed, he had already been out and about a couple times that morning but Anastasia refused to shed her covers away. Having to wake up and start her day, meant Monday would be closer enough and she didn't want to have to face it.

She was finally called down by her older and closest sister Maria who was 17 and only had a year left at Boarding school although she was thinking of taking a gap year after she was done and stay at St. Peter's to work. Anya knew the truth though; she knew she was worried about leaving her and Alexei to their own devices.

"Good morning sweetheart, nice to see you are up." Her mother said with a knowing look as Anya dragged her feet into the kitchen. Alexei who also happened to have slept a little late was already sitting there having breakfast.

"I was just dragging out the inevitable." Anya said with a sigh.

"You'll like St. Peters. Your father did in his time." Alexandra told her. "And your Uncles Michael and George did too, it's not that bad."

"But it wasn't mixed when Papa was there. It was only for boys."

"Would you have rather preferred we've sent you back to somewhere like your old one?"

"No, because then I wouldn't be able to look after Alexei." Anya admitted. "I know they liked it but, it's just strange to have to go to a new one, although I know what it's like."

"Right well, we decided it was best to have all of you together this year. It will make the transition easier."

Up until that year, Alexei had been home schooled and Anya and her sisters had gone to an all girls boarding school nearer to where they lived, but now they had moved yet again and St. Peter's had seemed like the most suitable solution.

The day moved faster than Anya would have liked, she occupied herself with making sure she hadn't forgotten to pack everything, just like she had done before any new school year approached, after all, she had done this since she was 8 years old.

* * *

Gleb opened his eyes at the sound of something crashing, he was sure his little sister was up to something. He was the middle child of a family of 6 children. Eva had been born when he was 6 and was by far the one he was closest to. He liked his youngest siblings best for some reason and had taken to caring for them whenever he was home, as their mother had gone back to work after Leo had been born although his little brothers were not old enough to attend school just yet. His older brothers, Ivan and David were more concerned about their own lives, especially David who couldn't wait to leave school and join the Military once he graduated like his older brother before him. Military was all that was in their minds given the fact that they were 18 and 21 respectively.

His father had been a military man his entire life, having been born in England and married a Russian woman while he was stationed there. Being British though had been a fluke according to Stephan, because, Gleb's own grandparents were both Russian. His Grandfather had moved with his family there temporarily at the time his father had been born.

But Gleb and his older brothers had been born in Russian territory, while Eva, Yuri and Leo had not. In spite of himself, Stephan had married a British lady when he and his brothers were very young and Linda had cared greatly for the boys since the beginning, so much, she had convinced Stephan to give his children some kind of stability, that's why Gleb had been, for the last 8 years of his life, gone to St. Peter's boarding school along with Eva and soon enough, their little brothers would join them. 

As it was expected, his father wasn't home and Linda was probably still asleep, so he found his sister in the kitchen, trying to clean up the apparent mess she'd made. "I woke you didn't I? Sorry." 

"You should have woken me." Gleb said as he reached down to clean up the broken glass. "If you were hungry, I could have made you breakfast."

"Yes, but...I wanted to do it myself. David's not here either, he left for his run and Mommy was sleeping. She worked late again last night."

"I noticed…" Gleb said with a small smile. "You know you can ask me for help if you need it, come on." He said, helping her up and grabbing the mop from her hand. "Where are the boys?" 

"I left them watching cartoons."

"Good, well go and check on them while I make us something, please?" His sister nodded, she was 10 going on 40 because she was the most mature little girl he had ever known but still just a child. 

He made breakfast for him and the little ones and left a bit on the stove for Linda to eat once she woke up.

"Can we go to the park today?" Yuri asked. He was only 6 and Gleb had trouble saying no since he had been looking forward to it all weekend. Even if it was raining outside and he probably should be packing instead of taking them out for the day, yet he couldn't refuse to spend some time with them before he left. 

So they walked to the small park near their flat, with Leo in a stroller as he was only 2 and a half. Yuri would always go crazy over just how many dogs there were. They hadn't been allowed dogs at home and only had cats and a ferret, but he had heard his little brother say that when he grew up, he'd only have dogs and Gleb wanted to make sure to be the one to give him his first one when he was able to.

They returned home after about an hour. Linda was going to work in her office at home; she was a lawyer of some importance so she worked Sundays.

She thanked Gleb for watching the kids and breakfast and went on about her day after kissing her children as they told her about the park. She then put Leo down for a nap as Yuri went back to watching cartoons and she told Gleb and Eva to finish packing. The young boy sighed as he went back into his room, which he shared with David, wanting to make sure he had everything ready for the new term that was about to begin.

* * *

Morning soon came, Anastasia tried to quiet her phone before she had had enough of its beeping. She got dressed and made a mental note of everything she'd have to take with her. Jimmy was looking at her as he had done the previous years when she left and she'd tell him the same thing: "I'll see you soon boy, I promise."

She came down the stairs were she was met by Jeff, who worked for her father and usually drove them. "Everything's packed? I have to get it down to the car before we are late."

"Yes, thank you." She said, moving to the kitchen to see that once again, Alexei had beaten her to it and so had Maria, her father was also there as were her older sisters who had come home to see them off.

"Are you sure you have everything?" Alexandra asked her son. Alexei nodded again and Anya could see he was getting a little annoyed with everyone asking him if he was ready or if he had everything.

She smiled as she hurried to the car after having said good morning to her Father and sisters. St. Peters wasn't far from her home and yet it felt as if it was a world away. In her old school she knew everyone, here she knew no one so she was as anxious as she knew her little brother to be.

* * *

Gleb walked hand in hand with his sister as David moved ahead of them a bit. "Do you think we'll have a good year big brother?" She asked.

"Yeah, most definitely. Why wouldn't it be?"

"No reason. I just… I have this feeling."

_Evie and her feelings_. "And is it a good one?"

"I haven't decided yet." She declared. Gleb smiled and let it rest for now. He hoped this would be a good year too.

The children were left to say goodbye to their parents in their dorms as they settled in. Gleb, who already knew this by heart, hugged his Stepmother and Father goodbye and promised to come visit in two weeks time.

Eva did the same and said goodbye to them, making her mother promise to bring her brothers along that Wednesday for a visit at her first soccer match of the term.

Gleb slid back into an easy routine at school on the first few days. On Tuesday, all students were required to gather around the school grounds for special announcements, so he gathered his things after breakfast and headed for the gardens, it was a path he knew well by now.

It was then that he saw someone who immediately caught his eye. A young girl he had not seen before. He'd heard of newcomers coming to the school and had known they had arrived the day before to adjust to being there but he hadn't seen many of them. The girl was accompanied by a younger boy, probably Evie's age that walked with crutches, arguably struggling to keep up with her but she kept her steps slow so she wouldn't outrun him.

Gleb watched them tentatively. It only took him a moment to put his bag over his shoulder and hurry his step by their side though when he heard a thud.

* * *

"You should just go ahead, I'm sure they wouldn't be mad at me if I took my time." Alexei was saying to Anya. "I'll be fine."

"Well you were the one who refused to use the chair we brought with us." She argued. "It's more useful on the grounds."

"I hate that thing" replied Alexei, trying to hurry his step. Anya could understand where her brother's frustration was coming from. He had been born with this affliction and he could hardly escape from it and the wheelchair made him feel less free, but it was still useful when it came to long walks and she would ask Maria for help next time they saw each other to convince him. For now, her sister was busy being the newly appointed Head Girl. Anya didn't want to worry her, but soon enough Alexei had other plans and in exasperation he took a tumble and fell face down on the ground, but before she could react...

"Are you okay?" A voice said behind Anya, she turned to see a boy, a bit older than her, dark hair and soft eyes, he somehow seemed familiar to her but she couldn't place where she'd seen him before. The older boy knelt beside her little brother.

Alexei sighed frustrated, tossing his crutches aside as he turned on his back. "Can I help you somehow?" The boy said again. He offered him a kind smile and Alexei returned it.

"Thank you, it's very kind of you, it seems we are having a bit of a morning, someone was a little bit stubborn today." She said looking at her brother who was now sitting on the ground as people had began to gather.

"No problem. You're off to the main grounds I take it?" Anya nodded. "I'm headed that way too, but maybe we should take him to the infirmary first…"

"Maybe, even though I know what the nurse is going to say." Anya scolded and Alexei sighed. 

"It's fine, we just want to make sure you are not hurt, you took quite a stumble." Gleb told the young boy reassuringly. 

"I'm used to it." Said Alexei and the other boy shot him a look, not of pity but of understanding.

"You really wouldn't mind? I'm terribly sorry about this." The girl said. 

"No, not at all, I'm happy to help." The boy said again. "Is it okay if I pick you up?" He said to Alexei who nodded, the older boy instructed him to wrap his arms around his neck.

"Oh goodness, what is going on here?" A voice stood out in the crowd. It was one of the teachers. Miss Lily. "Oh Gleb, looks like you got here just in time. Is he alright?"

"He will be Miss Lily, it seems it's nothing but we best make sure. Would it be okay if I were to take…?"

"Alexei and that's Anastasia." He said looking at his sister.

Gleb nodded, turning to Anastasia for a moment and then back at the teacher. "Alexei to the infirmary?"

"Of course, please do and keep me updated, the rest of you, let's head over to the main grounds, come on, quickly now…"

Gleb nodded gratefully at the teacher and led the way with Alexei in his arms. "Thank you so much for this... Gleb is it? Is that Russian?" Anya said curiously as she picked up her brother's crutches and fell into step beside him.

"Yes, and so it's Alexei isn't it?"

"Are you from Russia too?" The little boy asked.

"I was born there but left when I was about four, I go, mostly during the summers though."

"Oh, we left when I was a baby…" Alexei said. "We go sometimes too." They had reached the main building now as Anya opened the door for Gleb to go in with Alexei.

"Mrs. Bluth…" Gleb said kindly, he seemed to know everyone. "Can we come in? I'm afraid my friend here took quite a fall."

The nurse was kind as she ushered them inside and then asked Alexei some questions while Anya and Gleb waited.

"I'm sorry; he just didn't want to use the chair." Anya said to him. "When this happens, he's usually fine, he just gets really upset about falling, I'm actually surprised he agreed for you to help us, he's usually very stubborn."

"Oh, it's no problem. I understand, it can't be easy for him. He must feel trapped in the chair; I know I would if I depended on someone pushing me around all day." Gleb said in all honesty.

"Yes, I'm sure he does, he prefers the freedom the crutches give him." Anastasia said, there was a bit of helplessness in her voice. "Maybe he just isn't ready to come to a school like this."

"Where was he before?"

"Actually, it's his first time at a regular school. He was homeschooled but my parents worried about him not being around children his own age." She explained.

"Oh, well I'm sure he just needs to find his footing here and he'll be fine." Gleb said with a small nod, finding it hard not to get lost in the girl's powerful blue eyes.

"I'm sure he will, thank you so much for all your help, I do hope we don't get you in any trouble."

"You won't. It's fine, so he said you were born in Russia? Where exactly?"

"Peterhof. What about you?"

"Yekaterinburg." He said.

"So, we're not exactly neighbors." Anya said.

"No and I don't remember much about it as I was a child when we left, right after my Mother died."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you. It happened a long time ago." Gleb smiled. "It's better we moved here though, my Father's barely at home but we have a better life around here than we ever did back in Russia after my mother was gone. His wife is nice; she cares for all of us."

"I'm sure she is."

"Well, she did marry a man with three boys, when she had no kids of her own. Not a lot of people do that."

"True." Anya said. They remained quiet for a moment.

"Anya?" It was Alexei, back standing on his crutches. "The nurse says I should go back to the dorm and you should go to class before you get in trouble."

"He's fine, but I would like for him to rest for a bit. I'll ask his housemaster to keep an eye on him and make sure he has his work for the day." Mrs. Bluth said. "Gleb, would you mind?" 

"No, of course not. We'll take Alexei back and then I can show...Anastasia where her next class is."

Before Anya could say anything regarding her name, the nurse added. "Yes, thank you, and please if either of you need anything, do let me know."

"Of course, thank you." Anya said to her. She stood up from the chair besides Gleb and followed Alexei outside.

Gleb offered to carry the boy again, back to his dorm which he gladly accepted.

They arrived to meet the housemaster who also happened to know Gleb. "Here we go." The older boy said gently placing Alexei in bed. "Are you going to be okay by yourself?" Gleb asked. 

"He sure will be, right?" Anya replied. 

"Yes, thank you for your help." Alexei offered with a kind smile.

"Anytime. You call me over if you need anything, alright?" Gleb said, taking a piece of paper from his shirt's pocket and a pen from his bag and writing on it before handing it to him. 

"Get some rest; I'll come see you at lunch time." Anya said, taking his hand and squeezing it gently. She closed the door behind her and was assured by Alexei's housemaster that he would get her if something happened.

* * *

Anya walked beside Gleb quietly as she tried to learn her way around. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it soon enough. I did."

"Have you been here long?"

"Yes, since I was 8." He said.

"I have been at boarding since I was 8 too, but it was an all girls school. It's certainly different here."

"It's not bad. I have a feeling you'll like it here and it does have a great program for Alexei. I'm sure that's why your parents chose it."

"Yes, it must be one of the reasons, I’ve read it’s one of the most accessible schools in the country and also my father and uncles spent a few years here so there’s that." They had reached her lesson's building and Anya suddenly felt a sense of sadness at the idea of him having to go somewhere else but she knew he was older and his classes would have to be in another building. 

"This is you, just go right ahead and ask for your year. You'll usually have all your classes here for the rest of term." Gleb explained. "It's not hard to miss." 

"I feel like you know everything about this place." Anya said to him feeling a bit jealous.

"And I’m sure you will too sooner than later." He told her kindly. "Anastasia."

"Anya." She corrected him. "Anya is fine." She said, reaching out her hand for him to shake. Thank you Gleb, for everything again."

"Anya..." He said with yet another smile as she, he thought, blushed slightly and walked inside the building when he said,“I’m here everyday.” 

Gleb took a minute to turn around, placing his bag strap across his chest and hurrying to his own class.

_Yes, this was beginning to turn into one good year, he thought._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo.. it's my first time writing in this fandom. Please let me know what you think and I do hope you enjoy all the Glenya goodness.


	2. Anxiety

It had been two weeks since the school year had begun at St. Peters, which also meant that Gleb would be returning home for the weekend. 

He walked to the grounds that Friday at noon after he had finished with swimming practice and headed to find Anya, who just like he had suspected, had gotten used to the school’s way easily enough, she was sitting at a garden study table near the dorm buildings when he spotted her. They had been talking a lot and spending time together as much as their different schedules allowed them to. On Friday, right after the last class of the day, they were allowed to use their cell phones so she had texted him to meet her there. He moved cautiously towards her as she seemed to be focused on her book. “What are you reading?”  
Anya didn’t jump, she’d probably heard him coming her way, and instead, she smiled. “Oh, nothing, you’d laugh.” She said closing it shut.

“Try me.” He said.

“Harry Potter?”

“How very British of you.” He smiled warmly, peeking over her shoulder.

“Very nerdy of me, more likely.” Anya said with a sigh. “My sisters kept insisting I read it, but I resisted... now Alexei and I can barely put the books down.”  
“There’s nothing wrong with a little fantasy, sometimes it’s way better than the real world.” Gleb said, a bit of sadness in his voice. He was now sitting beside her on the bench, it was now early September and it had begun to cool down, so she felt him shiver a bit, his hair was still a little wet and his jacket was not that thick. She smiled again.

“I guess you are right. How was practice?”  
“It was fine. There’s this new guy on the team though, he just enrolled this year and he can’t stop bragging about how great he is.” Gleb sighed. “I can’t stand people like that.”

“What does the coach say?” Anya asked. “I’m sure if he takes it too far, he’ll tell him off.”

“You sound like Dimitri; he’d like nothing more than to tell on him.”  
Dimitri was one of the other boys with a Russian background at St. Peter’s who was in Gleb’s year. He’d arrived about two years before right after having moved in with his Uncle.

“Is he going to?” Anya asked.

“If he doesn’t, I will.” Gleb admitted.

“You know, it’s impolite in Russia to tell on people?” she said with a bit of mischief.

“Good thing we’re not in Russia then.” They remained quiet for a moment. “Is someone coming to get you and Alexei?”  
“Yes and honestly, I can’t wait to go home. I’m sure Jimmy misses me as much as I miss him.”

“I’m sure he does.” Gleb agreed. He had come to learn just how special pets were for the Romanov family, especially their dogs and even though Anya and Alexei had gone home the previous weekend as well, he was sure she missed her dog more every time she had to leave home. “What time are they coming?”  
“Not soon enough, I told Alexei I was going to go get him past noon.” Anya glanced at the time on her phone. “I actually should get going.”

“I’ll walk with you; I have to go get Evie and get the bus anyway. Lidia told me she had been held up at work.”

“Do you want us to drive you? I’m sure Jeff won’t mind.”

Gleb hesitated for a minute. He didn’t like having to ask for help. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”  
“You are not asking, I’m offering.” Anya insisted.

He scratched the back of his neck shyly. “Well if Evie and Alexei don’t have a problem with it, then I don’t either.” Gleb told her finally. “Thank you.” 

They walked together to get her little brother from his dorm. “Have a good weekend then Alexei, I’ll see you Monday?” The boy said goodbye to his housemaster and few of the kids that were left in the dorm and followed Anya out, Gleb was standing with his back to a pillar as he said hello. “Hey Gleb, so you finally asked him to dinner?” Alexei said all of the sudden.

Anya turned red. “No, I haven’t…” She hissed at her brother.

“Am I missing something?” Gleb asked, a bit amused.

“Nothing, uh, Papa sort of wants to meet the boy who was so kind to Alexei, so he asked me to ask you if you’d mind coming to dinner.”

Gleb bit his lip. Nicholas Romanov was nothing like Stefan, he was practically royalty, compared to the middle class kind of man his father was, he was able to get his children to St. Peters thanks to his military ties and private service at that point in their lives, not that they were poor, far from it but Dimitri had done his research, Anya’s family was closely related to the current Royals.

Far from Gleb’s upbringing in a small flat.

“It doesn’t have to be this weekend, but what about the next one?” Anya asked, as if she could hear his mind reeling.

“Of course, if you want.” _Always so polite_. 

“Sure we do, Papa already likes you better than any boy my sisters have brought home.” Anya shot her brother an exasperated a look and Gleb fought hard not to laugh.  
“Here, let me help you with those.” Gleb said to Anya as she reached to grab her backpack and her brother’s.

Alexei had finally given into letting them push him around school in his chair, which Anya asked Gleb to take out from the small closet at the side of the door she was standing by, he could see the look on Alexei’s face as they unfolded it for him to sit on but he said nothing and instead handed his crutches to his sister and pushed himself onto it easily.

Gleb had not asked a lot on the little boy’s condition as he didn’t want to pry, but Anya had told him he had been born with Cerebral Palsy which had affected his mobility mostly, he was a bright and sensible young boy who didn’t let that problem define him, or so Gleb could see. Evie had told him that Alexei was in her year despite the fact that he was a year or so younger, so both of them had certainly been spending more and more time with the Romanov children.

The three of them went in search of Evie, who at the sight of her brother and new friends, said her goodbyes and hurried outside.“Aren’t we headed for the bus?” Evie asked, as she and Gleb followed Anya and Alexei to the main parking lot.

“No, Anya offered to drive us home. So, no bus today.”

“Hurray! We might make it home in time for us to enjoy Friday for once.” Evie said, who quickly thanked Anya with a hug and offered to be the one to push Alexei further, just as Jeff, was parking the family’s SUV. Her father’s driver was a young man, of about 30 who had been working with the family for the last five years and he was particularly fond of Alexei. He greeted the kids and shot Evie and Gleb a kind smile as Anastasia asked if he wouldn’t mind dropping them home.   
Jeff didn’t say no of course, and helped them with their things.

“So, you just give me directions, alright?” Jeff said kindly as he drove away. Gleb was in the back of the dark blue SUV he figured important people would ride in. His family had a van and his older brother Ivan had a used car, his father had one nicer car but with six kids, he’d barely taken anyone in it.  
They lived in a suburb neighborhood south of the school, in an apartment complex, modest but nothing fancy. A place he had been living at since his father had taken his current job after he’d married Lidia. “Just down that street please.” Gleb said to Jeff who took a turn, parking right in front of their building.

“Thanks Anya and Alexei. You should come over and play sometime if you’re allowed” Evie told the young boy kindly. Gleb helped his sister get the door and grabbed her bag. Anya climbed out of the car behind Evie.  
“Hey Gleb?” He turned around. “You were so quiet the whole time. I hope the dinner thing didn’t throw you off or offended you in some way...”

“No, of course not, why would it?” He told her. “It’s very nice of you to invite me even though I only did what any decent human being would.” Offering her a reassuring smile, he added. “Next weekend, right?”

“Yes. Friday night.”

“Alright, tell your parents thank you and for the ride. I’ll see you Monday?”

“See you Monday.”

* * *

Anya remained in a dream state for the rest of the weekend and her sister noticed that Saturday when she arrived home from a friend’s house. “So...Gleb…”

“What about him?” Anya asked, turning as she didn’t like her sister’s tone.

“Do you like him?”

“He’s my friend Maria.”

“Do you want him to be more than just your friend?” Her sister asked, arching her eyebrows.

“I…”

“So, you do!” She squealed. “Well, I’ve seen him. He’s captain of the swim team isn’t he?”

“What exactly are you suggesting?”

“That he’s a good one. He seems to be since he helped Alexei and Papa wants to meet him.”

“Papa wants to meet every boy that says anything to me. Especially if he’s Russian.”

“Exactly.”

Anya sighed. “He’s just my friend. I doubt he’d want to be anything more.”

“You understand so little about boys my sweet sister.” Maria smiled. “You’ll see, just give it time.”

Anya could hardly shake her sister’s words from her head. _Could it be possible for Gleb to eventually like her that way? _He was kind and she assumed that they were friends but she wasn’t sure she had thought of him as something more.

* * *

Monday arrived too fast for Anya’s liking; she and Alexei were dropped off by her mother that morning. She as always, wanted to make sure everything was running smoothly for her children. Anya scanned the parking lot, she didn’t know if she was scanning for Gleb or hoping she wouldn’t run into him and having to introduce him to her mother before Friday. Why? Anya couldn’t really say. So she ignored it and was polite when Evie said hello to her and somehow introduced herself to her mother. With her brother beside her.   
The Vaganov children were polite and well behaved, her Papa would approve of that even though they came from different backgrounds.

Her Mama didn’t point out dinner on Friday and for that Anya was grateful, she didn’t want to have to put more pressure on Gleb. She wanted to give him a chance to bolt, although by the looks of it, he would keep his word and show up on Friday.

“Well I better let the two of you go.” Her mother finally said, pulling Anya from her daze. Gleb and his friends as well as Evie were gone by now but she and Alexei had to hurry if they didn’t want to be late.  
For once, her brother didn’t protest when she pushed the way to his dorm to collect his things and get to class.

Anya accompanied her brother as far as his class building and then headed for her own.

“Anastasia?” It was Dimitri, Gleb’s friend. “Hey... umm how are you?”

“I’m fine. How about you?”

“Good thanks, do you mind if I walk you to class? I didn’t want to intrude because you were with your brother.”

“Oh, it’s fine. You are friends with Gleb, right?” Dimitri smiled.

“Yeah. You and him have been spending a lot of time together?”

“Well, he’s been so kind to me and Alexei; we’re both new to St. Peters so…”

“Yeah, that sounds like Vaganov. He did the same when I first got here.” Anya could see Dimitri had a slight accent, like the one that sneaked into the voice of her Papa once in a while, a mix of English and Russian.  
She did not know a lot about Dimitri, only that he had moved to England two years before. “He’s a good guy, better than most around here, but well I’m not so bad either.” He extended a hand to her. “If you ever need anything...”

“Thank you Dimitri…” Anya said kindly, shaking his hand 

“Well us Russians have to stick together.” Dimitri said casually with a small smile as it had seemed they had reached Anya’s class. “I’ll see you Anastasia.”

Anya nodded, opening the door and entering the building. Wondering exactly what the exchange had meant. Back in her old school, she didn't have any boys to talk to. Here, it seemed that's all they wanted to do. 

* * *

“Wait, he likes her?” Michael, one boy asked another as they prepared for practice.

“I don’t know, but there are not really a lot of Russian girls at St. Peters, despite the name…” Another boy said. “If it comes to it, and Dima lays his eyes on her too…”

“Oh, drama.”

“Shut up. Gleb was the one who helped her little brother; he already made the first move…” Both boys stopped cold when they saw Dimitri and Gleb walking over.

“Why would you even be nervous? You were raised by your father, you breathe manners.” Dimitri said to Gleb.

“Yes, but Nicholas Romanov isn’t your ordinary high society man.”

“It’s not like you invited yourself over.” Dimitri said. It was all his friends could talk about. How a simple act of kindness had landed him in good graces with the ambassador and his family. He was only doing what any decent young man would have been raised to do. He didn’t need to be recognized for it.

But somehow he couldn’t say no to seeing Anya outside school.

The week passed quickly as he was busy with schoolwork and practice. In truth, he’d barely seen the Romanov siblings that week; he didn’t want Anya to think he had been avoiding her. But maybe in a way, he had been. 

* * *

When Friday arrived, Maria was the one to drive her brother and sister home. Gleb had late practice so he would shower and take a bus to Anya’s house. She had insisted the day before that Maria would not have a problem with being the one to drive him to her home when he was done.

But he didn’t want Maria to drive back and forth. He had never needed to depend on people and he didn’t want to start.

“Are you ready for this?” Dimitri asked. His friend had admitted to talking a little with Anya, although the girl hadn’t seemed too interested in him.

Gleb didn’t know if he should be ashamed for feeling relieved. Not that maybe Dima was merely being friendly, because he was. But he had a girlfriend or at least was dating a nice girl and she could get the wrong idea.

Gleb had never really had a formal girlfriend. You would have thought that the school’s setting would allow him to but he was just not really interested. He had practice and his schoolwork to keep him busy enough.  
Not that girls had not tried to flirt with him. He was almost as tall as his father and although not built, he was not skinny either. Just a regular sixteen year old boy.

He slapped himself mentally for thinking of Anya that way; he had, in the last couple of days, thought of just what meeting her family would mean. Would they think of him as a friend and if he tried to somehow tell Anya about his feelings, would her father think he’d already betrayed his trust?  
It was a lot to think about for a Friday afternoon. And yet, Gleb couldn’t help but wonder, to imagine that maybe, maybe a day would come that if he would want to ask someone out, that it would be Anya. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! What did you think of this one? Don't forget to leave a review :)


	3. Oranges and Jackets

Stephan Vaganov was a strict but kind man, much like his older brothers were turning out to be, Gleb was sure of that, and he hoped that one day, he'd be just like them, but he had also heard his father say that out of his 3 sons, he was most like his mother, although Gleb could barely remember her, Tonya had been beautiful and young when she had been taken from the world all too suddenly, but she had made Stephan happy for as long as she had been alive.

His brothers didn't speak much of her though and Stephan refrained himself to do so, mostly, Gleb figured because he didn't want to make Linda uncomfortable, but the woman actually encouraged Ivan and David to speak of their mother and remember her. And Gleb would mostly always honor his mother.

That was why he had worn his best Sunday clothes to dinner that Friday; he got home from school early and showered, cleaned up and hoped not to be late if he took the bus. "Sweetheart, are you ready? Let me look at you..." A kind voice said behind him as he finished combing his hair.

"Do I look good enough to be at an ambassador's house?" Gleb asked. "Russia's ambassador?"

"Oh honey, of course you do. So grown up in fact. Whatever happened to that little boy I used to play with in the park?"

"I'm not sure if I am ready to do this. What if I make a fool of myself?"

"Gleb, how could you possibly? You are well mannered and Anya and Alexei already like you."

" I am not supposed to make them like me. Nicholas Romanov is practically Russian royalty."

"Right well. I'm sure he's going to like you either way." Linda smiled, stepping closer to Gleb and arranging his shirt collar. "Are you sure you don't want me to drive you? My meeting got moved up and Celia is taking the kids out to the park."

Gleb smiled. "If you don't mind. I really don't want to be late taking the bus." He said with a charming smile and Linda glanced at him once more.

"Alright, let's go then."

"Hey Mom?"

"Yes?" Gleb bit his lip. He wasn't sure if he was ready to let Linda know that he wished this dinner could make Nicholas and his family like him enough to be able to ask Anya out on a date.

"Nothing, never mind. We better go." He said, leaving the room after grabbing a jacket and heading down in front of his stepmother.

* * *

Anya had glanced at the mirror for the 10th time until Maria had come to tell her off. To make fun of her more like it. "If you didn't like him, then you wouldn't be so worried about how you looked."

Anya fought the urge to roll her eyes so she wouldn't prove her right. To be honest she wasn't really sure why she was so anxious about Gleb coming over. It had been her Papa's invitation, not hers, plus, she wasn't meant to be interested in boys, she was meant to be focused on her studies.

But her father had also said it was good to make friends, and Gleb had been the first one she'd made at St. Peters, so she wasn't breaking any rules. Yet.

The bell rang and Anya's anxiety got the best of her. Thankfully, her sister had just gone downstairs and had not seen her.

Only Jimmy was there to watch her, check herself in the mirror again and give a huge sigh before heading downstairs.

"So, what time should I pick you up then?" Linda asked as they were let in by the guards at the gate and had parked just in front of the main entrance a few feet from the house.

"You really don't have to…"

"Yes I do, it's the weekend and you are still sixteen and living under my roof. So yes I do, and I will."

"How about I let you know then?" Gleb offered. Linda could be such a cool person sometimes, and sometimes, such a Mom.

"Sounds like a plan." She said as a couple of people were coming down the stairs of the house. Mansion more like it. "Now remember to just smile. That smile can do wonders."

"I'll remember that Mom." Gleb opened the door of the car, looking back at Linda one last time and of course he smiled.

"Young Master Vaganov I presume?" A man said as he greeted Gleb by the door. "My name is James, if you could please follow me?"

_Master? That was a new one._

Gleb nodded and then allowed himself to be led through the main door. He figured James to be a butler of some sort. And just there by the top of the stairs, stood Nicholas Romanov and his wife Alexandra. Both looked so well dressed, but yet again, Gleb had done his homework, or rather Dimitri had and knew they practically met people for a living.

"Gleb. Nice to see you again." Alexandra was the first one to speak to him. She sounded nice and motherly. "I am sorry this was a little sudden but since you've made such an impression on Alexei, we couldn't let it pass, we are just so grateful he's having such an easy transition at school and from what we hear it's mostly thanks to you."

"Oh well, it's not easy for anyone, and especially to be Alexei's age and having to get used to being at boarding school…" Gleb said.

"It builds up character in a boy that I will say. Look at you; you seem like a nice enough young man." Nicholas said, his voice was calm but still made Gleb stand up straighter. "It is very nice to meet you Gleb, let's go inside now, what do you say?" And so it was the first time Gleb had stood in such a home.

It was exactly as the pictures showed and beyond anything that his father's flat, or his grandfather's farm in Yekaterinburg were.

"Come on over here, the children must be around." Alexandra said kindly. Instead of Alexei or Anya though, Gleb was greeted by a few furry paws he figured to be the Romanovs dogs. He recognized both Joy and Jimmy from the pictures they had shown him.

"Gleb, hi, you actually came." It was Alexei. He was dressed almost in like school uniform and wore a small hat on his head, his crutches holding him in place as he grinned at him.

Gleb beamed back as he thanked the ambassador and his wife for the invitation again.

"Well, Alexei did insist, he seems to have taken a shine to you, come on, anything to drink my boy?"

"Just water, thanks." He said kindly. Nicholas gave an order to someone as he led Gleb and Alexei to another room followed by Alexandra.

That was when he saw the girls. He saw Maria and Anya, and two other ones he hadn't met, but figured to be the older sisters Anya had said were in University. He greeted the girls politely as they looked at each other. Gleb figured it was some sort of secret language between the sisters but Anya did look a bit embarrassed and he hoped it wasn't because he had actually shown up. "So Gleb, why don't you tell us a bit more about yourself?" Nicholas asked as Gleb took a seat beside Alexei as Joy sat by them both. He looked at Anya for some kind of assurance who nodded, and then Gleb continued, turning back to Nicholas as he explained his father's life in the military, and told him a bit of his early childhood in Russia, at the mention of it, Nicholas looked proud.

"And you are mostly focused on your studies right now?" Alexandra asked.

Gleb was about to answer when Maria interjected and said he was also the captain of the school's swimming team. He could have sworn he was blushing a bit, but Alexandra and Nicholas looked impressed by his involvement in after school activities. He was sure more questions were to come until Nicholas was called away to his office and Alexandra ushered her eldest children and Alexei away, which left Gleb alone with Anya. They had not sat together, but it was the first time he had the chance to look at her. She was dressed in elegant leggings and a blouse, her hair was up in a sort of messy bun. "I am sorry about all of this, my parents get carried away." She said to him.

"Oh, no, it's no problem, they are both so kind to have invited me."

"Well yes, Alexei insisted." She said. Gleb smiled. _Had she insisted on having him over too?_

"Well I am glad, I got to finally meet your sisters and Joy and Jimmy." Gleb said to her, Joy had trailed behind Alexei but Jimmy laid there beside Anya and he had lifted his head at the sound of his name being called as Gleb patted him behind the ear. "And your parents of course."

"Of course. They have heard a lot about you actually."

"They have?" Gleb asked, surprised. "From Alexei?"

"Yes." She said quickly. "But they make such a fuss about everything; I still hope this is not too weird."

"Why would it be weird? Alexei and I are friends…" He hesitated. "Just like you and I?"

"Yes, of course." Anya said without giving it a second thought.

"See? It's normal." He assured her. She smiled at him. It was then that they were called over to eat and their conversation was cut short.

The rest of the night flew by, there were still glances between the Romanov sisters and questions from the ambassador and his wife, but mostly Gleb found himself having a good time, the family was kind and seemed genuinely interested in his life and his family's story in England. How his father had served, and how he had lived in Russia in the early years after the Cold War.

Gleb had tried to not look over at Anya much though, he didn't want to give the wrong impression but he couldn't help it and it seemed that when she reciprocated the glances, it was harder to not look over.

* * *

Linda had texted him around 10 to let him know it was best if she picked him up because she had a meeting the next day and his father would be flying home on Sunday before he and Evie went back to school. Alexandra, Nicholas, Anya and Alexei had said goodbye to him at the door and then her mother suggested to Anya to walk Gleb over to his car. So she did, giving Alexandra a glance before she led Gleb down the steps after he thanked her parents again. "Thank you for coming, you didn't have to feel obligated to, but I am glad you did." Anya told him.

"No problem." Gleb replied. "And listen, I was serious on what I said earlier, if it works for Alexei, swimming could be a great option for him and I would be happy to help."

"I am sure he'd love that." Anya said to him, beaming over just how kind he always was to her little brother. "Thank you."

"We'll make it work then, I am sure Coach could let us use the pool from time to time." Gleb offered kindly. Anya nodded as they reached the car. "Listen, I really did have a great time. Please thank everyone again for me."

"I will." She said as James opened the car door for him, as Gleb said goodbye again with a small smile and climbed inside the car.

She gave him a small wave and Linda greeted the young girl, then pulled away, then Anya turned around; thankful Gleb wasn't around to listen to her loud sigh as she walked back to the house.

She had not even reached the stairs when Maria was already waiting there for her. "So, it was all Alexei's idea, was it?"

Gleb tore his eyes away from the house and Anya until they had left the street behind. "So, how was it?"

"It was, fine. Fun actually, the family, they are all very nice."

"Oh, just nice?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And, what?" Gleb asked. Linda stared at him and then turned back to driving.

"Well you clearly like that girl… is there some part of you that wants to maybe, tell her that?"

"I barely know her Mom…"

"And yet, your eyes speak for themselves my sweet boy." Linda told him. "I was young once too, you know?"

"She's… it's not like that."

"Oh, it isn't?"

"No, she's… she's the Ambassador's daughter."

"And you are what? You are a nice boy, from a good family. Better than most her father would hope for her child and Russian, isn't that sort of a big deal?" Gleb shrugged. "Because you do like her that way, don't you?"

Gleb found himself nodding. Proving her right.

* * *

Anya could barely contain herself from rolling her eyes at her sister's drilling of Gleb. Not only Maria but also Olga and Tatiana had sat her down.

"But did you see the way he was looking at you?" Olga said. "Please tell me you did."

"Looking at me? Looking at me, like what?"

"Oh my sweet Anya, he likes you, it's very obvious."

Anya then found herself blushing. "But I barely know him. I mean, yes, he's been kind to me and Alexei and…"

"And he was clearly trying to impress you by coming to dinner tonight."

"Mama and Papa invited him, he was just being polite." Anya said.

"Maybe he was, but the two of you were making eyes at each other constantly; you better not try to deny it." Tatiana said.

Anya bit her lip. "I was?"

"Yes." Her sisters said in unison. "I am sure even Mama noticed and that's why she asked you to walk him to the car."

"The question here is, are you two ready to do something about it?" Maria asked.

"He's already offered to give Alexei lessons and he's clearly made an impression on Mama and Papa. He's got everything going for him."

Anya felt butterflies invade her stomach. _Was that really how she was beginning to feel about Gleb?_

* * *

Monday was a weird day, Gleb tried to avoid Dimitri at all costs because he couldn't stop asking him about Friday, but they had every lesson together so it was very hard to. "Would you please stop?"

"What? I am curious, the man is an ambassador Gleb, it is kind of an important thing."

"I know." He huffed. "But beyond the tittle, they are just regular people who are grateful someone didn't treat their son any different and showed him a little bit of kindness."

"And that will get you a long way if you want to get somewhere someday."

"Uh?" Gleb loved Dimitri, but he was too much for him sometimes, and just sometimes, he would like to punch him in the face.

"Well, you've said you don't want to go into the Military like your father and brothers, maybe you could be a diplomat of some sort and being in good graces with Nicholas Romanov can get you there."

Gleb had not admitted that to anyone but Dimitri and Linda, he wasn't ready to defy his father's wishes just yet. "I, don't even know what I want Dima, alright?" Dimitri sighed, Gleb could see there was something else in his friend's mind but he hadn't had the chance to say anything because Coach had called them over to go and rest. Dima said he'd meet him at the dorm when Gleb stayed behind.

"Something on your mind Vaganov?" Coach Carson asked. Gleb hesitated for a minute. "On you go then boy…"

"Actually sir…" Gleb said before he would back down. "You know Alexei Romanov? He's, well he has this condition sir and I've been doing some reading on it and I think swimming could really help him improve…"

"And his parents want my help?"

"Not exactly but I did offer them to try and help Alexei practice and see how it goes for him, so I was wondering if maybe we could the pool sometimes during the week? On our free time of course."

Coach looked at him and then smiled. "Come up with a schedule that could work and we'll talk about it."

Gleb beamed at him. "I will, thank you sir."

* * *

That late afternoon, he went in search of Anya and found her on her way to dinner. "Hey."

"Gleb, hi. I haven't seen you around all day."

"Yes, sorry, I had practice and had to catch up on some homework. So how was the rest of your weekend at home?"

"It was fine. My grandmama came to visit. She's in town from Paris for a few weeks." Anya said. "I love it when she comes, we barely see her anymore."

"So she lives in Paris?"

"Yes, I was actually thinking about going to live with her before my parents agreed to send Alexei here." Anya admitted to him. "It is just our special place, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it. My grandfather's farm is that place for me, I guess." Gleb said. They remained quiet for a moment. As if they were both trying to find what to say. "So, I talked to Coach Carson, about Alexei's lessons. He said I should come up with a schedule and he'd see if we can make it work."

"Oh, that's amazing, should we talk to his Housemaster?"

"Well, I was actually hoping you could help me come up with something that could work first?"

"Of course, you are doing this for my little brother after all." Anya said. They walked over to the main building, the weather was beginning to get colder and he could see she was shivering.

"Are you alright?" You are shaking…"

"No, I'm fine. I should have brought my scarf though..."

"Here." Before she could protest, he was taking off his jacket and handing it over to her.

"No, you'll freeze."

"I will be fine, trust me." Gleb smiled as she huddled closer into his jacket and without thinking she inhaled in his scent, he smelled of lotion and… was it chocolate? Anya walked into the dining hall and sat across from him on a table. "Here. I'll bring you some tea, it will warm us both up." Anya smiled as he headed up to the counter. He soon brought two cups of tea and handed one to her. "How's that? I remember you told me you really liked oranges."

"Yes, they remind me of my grandmama." Anya said with a wide smile. "I can't believe you remembered that."

"I like remembering the little things." Gleb fought hard not to blush. He glanced around to see if he spotted any of his friends, thankfully they weren't around, he liked to spend time with her alone without them prying or interrupting. "So what do you say we talk to Alexei? I don't want swimming to affect any of his lessons."

"Yes, that will be a good idea." Anya agreed. They drank their tea and had some light dinner before he walked her over to her dorm. Gleb had forgotten Anya still had his jacket until she handed it back to him.

"I would hate for you to get sick because of me." Anya said. Gleb put his jacket back on and smiled at her. "Thank you though."

"Anytime... so, I'll text you then and we can talk to Alexei?"

"Yes, sounds good. He's going to be so happy to get to spend more time with you."

"That makes two of us." He said honestly. "Goodnight Anya."

"Goodnight Gleb." She beamed at him, he waited a minute to walk over to his own dorm after she had closed the door behind her.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, they began spending a lot more time together, both sort of using Alexei as an excuse, not that the boy would complain over all the attention. It was Saturday morning when Alexei was meant to have his first lesson with Gleb and he was pretty excited about it. He normally hated PT but the older boy was turning out to be quite the good influence on him.

Anya arrived with her little brother to the pool, were Gleb was already waiting. "Are you ready Alexei?" He asked kindly, he wore sweatpants and a jacket while Gleb was down to his swimsuit and a hoodie.

"I guess." The little boy said.

"We'll go easy and if you get tired you let me know and we'll stop, how's that sound?"

"Is it okay if I stay and watch?" Anya asked. Gleb suddenly felt self conscious, it was usually prohibited to have boys and girls together at the pool at school hours, but during the weekend, anyone barely set foot there.

"Sure, I don't see why not." Gleb said, mustering all his courage not to blush. Anya helped Alexei sit by the edge of the pool as the older boy took his hoodie off, not a shirt under it.

"Anya?" Alexei asked innocently glancing at his sister and then at Gleb who had jumped into the pool. "You can sit over there." He said when he caught her unable to move her gaze away from where Gleb had been standing.

"Right, I'll be here if you need me?" Anya offered but her brother had already turned his attention back to the older boy.

"I hope you are better than my last teacher, you know? He didn't last too long." Alexei told him, half joking, which made Anya glance at Gleb apologetically.

"Oh, we'll see how I do then." He smiled as he stretched his arms so Alexei would move over to him, he hesitated at first but then he slipped inside slowly and swam closer to Gleb who was ready to catch him, as Anya watched the interaction, her heart swelled.

Later, that first afternoon, Gleb had carried a tired Alexei to his room and he and Anya had gone to the dining room cafeteria to work on some homework. "He did well, didn't he?"

"Yes, he was great, I have a feeling he'll learn fast." Gleb assured Anya.

The girl nodded. "You know, you are a really good teacher Gleb."

"You think so?" He asked, utterly surprised.

"Yes, I could see how Alexei trusted you and he actually wanted to let you help him. You have a gift for sure."

Gleb beamed at her. "I am glad to be able to. It's good that he keeps active as much as he can, and swimming is more fun than physical therapy, that's for sure." Anya smiled at him again.

They were practically alone in the room as he looked at her, holding onto her glass of water, staring at it all of the sudden to avoid his gaze. But he was supposed to be the one who was anxious.

"Anya?"

"Yes?"

"There's something…." Gleb began. He was fighting against himself because he didn't want to ruin things by admitting something to her that might not be reciprocated. "I was just wondering if next weekend, when we go home, you'd like to go to this café. We could..."

Anya's heart skipped a beat. "Gleb, are you asking me out? Like to go on a date, with you?"

"I guess I am. Would you like it if I was?" He asked, hopeful, Anya didn't want to sound too desperate, but she had been waiting for this moment for a while, ever since that dinner at her house and her sisters insinuations that she liked Gleb as more than just friends. And she pushed away any thought of the prohibition her father had made up until that point of her dating boys.

"I would love to." She said with a shy smile. Gleb mirrored it back, though wider.

He couldn't wait for next weekend.


	4. Confessions

Gleb had just texted Anya the address of the Café. He could barely believe he had finally been brave enough to ask her on a date and it was more amazing that she had said yes. He had not told a soul about it though, not even Dima, he would mess with him too much if he did. And yet the only person who had hinted at it was Linda, as always. "Don't you look nice?" It was now November and the cold was clear, so Gleb wore a sweater and jacket under his long sleeve shirt.

"I thought you weren't going to be home tonight." Gleb told her with a smile.

"Oh, I managed to get Frank to meet me here instead of the office, I did promise Yuri and Evie a movie night."

It was nice, to have Linda home, especially for his siblings, when Linda had first met Stephan, he had been a young man, widowed with three young boys and she had been even younger but she had always been there, even when she was taking on her undergrad and getting work done. She was home to tuck them all into bed, and then when Evie had been born, she had taken a little time away from work to focus on her new baby and the boys as much as she could. "It's good to have you kids home, that's the one thing I'm going to hate once all of you leave."

Gleb smiled. It was one of those strange weekends in which even David was home. He was out already with his girlfriend but they had all promised to spend Saturday morning together since Ivan had a week's leave and his father would be home also.

"Yuri and Leo still have a few years at home, and you don't have to send them if you don't' want to." Gleb said. He loved his school, his friends and the team he led, but sometimes he wondered what it would be like to come home after the day was over and just stay in his own room and then do that the next day, not have to sleep in a bunk bed and see less and less of his little brothers.

"I'm sorry honey; I get a bit sentimental over all of this." Linda admitted. "It makes the being a parent a little hard, to see you all grow up."

"Where are you going?" Evie asked, looking at her brother suspiciously as she came down to the kitchen where Linda and Gleb stood. "You smell like you have somewhere important to be."

"Well, it's important." He said with a grin.

"Did you finally ask her to go out with you?" Evie said, glancing at her mother. It seemed that the women in his life weren't oblivious over his feelings for Anya. Gleb blushed. "You did! So where are you going?" Gleb rolled his eyes at the inquiries. Lola's Café was a modest place close to home which he knew Anya was going to enjoy.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll tell us all about it when he comes back, off you go already or you'll be late." Linda smiled. "Do you have money?" She took a couple bills from her purse and handed them to him before he could protest. "Have a good time honey."

Anya had said she was going to go meet a couple of her new friends for a movie. She hated lying, but she was not ready to let anyone know she was going on a date with Gleb. She didn't know if they had been too obvious the entire week at school and honestly, she didn't care much what other people thought. Maybe except for her father, she knew he would probably approve of Gleb, he'd already met him and liked him, and he filled all the credentials his father seemed to want for a boy for his daughters, except Anya was a bit too young to be dating.

But this was the first boy who had made her feel like she could defy any odds and she was willing to take that chance.

She looked at herself in the mirror again, thankfully, Maria was not home as she had ballet practice late at school and she would spend the weekend there. "How do I look, huh Jimmy?" Anya turned to the dog; he looked at her and wiggled his tail. She grabbed her jacket and scarf and headed down the stairs.

Her father was on a diplomatic trip and the only people home were her Mama and Alexei. "Anya?" Her brother called, he was already wearing his pyjamas and was holding onto the wall by the side of the kitchen's door as he refused to use his crutches much when he was at home. Anya understood, she couldn't imagine being in her brother's place and not have enough freedom to do things and yet, Alexei was the bravest little boy she had ever met. "I thought you were staying home tonight."

"Oh, no, I'm going to go see a movie with some friends from school, Papa did say I should make some, so I'm trying."

"But." Alexei said. "I thought you already had a friend. Gleb?" Anya didn't want to make it too obvious that she was blushing.

"Right well, I could use some more friends, don't you think?" Alexei shrugged.

"Okay,have a good time then." He told her with a smile, he then called Joy and went back into the living room. Her mother was by the door when she reached the foyer.

"Are you all ready to go?"

"Yes." Anya smiled.

"Jeff is staying with you just in case. He'll just wait in the car." Alexandra said. Anya sighed and yet, she didn't argue, it was a miracle her father was not home and she was being allowed to go out. "Look at you, all grown up." Alexandra added with a bit of nostalgia in her voice. "Where have all my little girls gone?"

Anya hugged her mother. "Have a good time sweet girl." She hated having to lie to her and yet, she couldn't bring herself to let her know exactly where she was going.

She would have to, but not right now.

* * *

Anya thanked Jeff for the ride and then moved over to the Café, the driver had been with the family long enough to know what he should ask about and not. There was a cinema near the street where they were but the young girl hadn't gone in. Not that Jeff would admit to her he had noticed.

It was not his place to ask or scold the girl but he raised his eyebrow up until he saw young Gleb Vaganov meeting Anya by the door and all his worries faded, he pulled away and found a parking space not too far away and waited.

Anya didn't want to look at Gleb much, well, she didn't want to _stare,_ but she couldn't help it. He had just trimmed down his hair and his smile was hard to avoid as he greeted some boy at the counter he clearly knew. The boy said hello to Anya and then turned to ask for their order. "You come here a lot?"

"Yes, as much as I can, it's quieter than at home with Evie and the boys. I come here to study sometimes."

"Right." Anya smiled. "It's cozy."

"And they have the best hot chocolate, wait until you taste it." Gleb told her with a grin. Anya mirrored it back. "Did you find it okay?"

She nodded as Gleb's friend brought up their drinks and a piece of chocolate cake and placed it on the small table. "Enjoy."

"It's homemade." Gleb said. "Sam's Mom makes it from scratch." Anya glanced down at the amazingly looking dessert. "Here." He handed her a small spoon. She had not tasted anything sweeter in her life. And Gleb was right; the hot chocolate was amazing as well. All in all, she was just glad to be there with him. They talked about everything and nothing. Anya had not had the chance to look at it closely but the amulet around Gleb's neck caught her attention.

"It was my mother's." Gleb began. "She had this necklace with small trinkets on it and when we were old enough; my father gave one to each of us to keep." He didn't talk much about his mother but that piece of information just made Anya like him even more. He'd already won her over for his care over Alexei.

"It's beautiful." Anya said.

"My father said he gave the necklace to her after I was born, so it just makes it more special that each of the figures represented each of us" He explained.

"Gleb?"

"Yeah?"

"Is it sad for you to talk about her? I don't mean to pry but I can't imagine what that would be like." He offered her a kind smile.

"No, I like talking about her, although I was too young when she died, I remember a few things. We lived in my grandfather's farm back in Yekaterinburg, I remember she used to take me out with her to do chores since I was a bit too young for school and we would just spend the whole morning together."

"That sounds lovely." Anya said with a smile. "She sounds amazing; I wish I could have met her."

"Me too." Gleb admitted. They remained quiet for a moment. It seemed like both of them were immersed in their own thoughts. "Umm... I wanted to show you another reason we came here." He said, offering her his hand once they were done with their hot chocolate and cake. Anya took it and she felt butterflies in her stomach as he led her to the back of the shop, to where there was a small room with a piano. "I hesitated over whether I wanted to embarrass myself in front of you or not."

"Why would you?"

"I don't know, you seem to make me a little nervous to be honest." Gleb said shyly.

"I think the feeling is mutual." Anya replied as he turned to face her. Their noses almost touching.

"Anya…"

"Yes?"

"Would it be okay if I played you something?" He pulled away a bit as she nodded; honestly a bit disappointed that was what he was asking. She sat beside him on the bench as his fingers moved over the keys slowly and skilfully.

Anya knew she'd heard that melody before, probably an old Russian lullaby. "I stopped taking classes a few years back after I became captain of the swimming team at school, but I come here sometimes to practice so I don't forget." He said to her as he finished the song.

"You are very talented."

"Thank you." He said, still shy a bit shy. "How about another one?" Anya nodded and her head rested on his shoulder as he played. He watched her, his pulse quickening. She was so close to him again and he couldn't help but wonder if she would be offended if he asked what he wanted to. "Anya?"

"Yes?"

"Would it be okay if I kissed you?" Anya blinked her eyes, those powerful pair of blues he could get lost in. He saw her nod and then lift her head so he was facing her as she held her breath.

Anya had kissed boys before, well, one, but it was just a silly crush, one that had lasted one summer and nothing more the year before, It had been her first kiss and although it had been special, nothing could have prepared her for what was to come.

Their lips were inches apart and soon brushed against one another. It was sweet and brief but it made Anya feel light headed. Gleb pulled back first, he was still being a gentleman, but it was her time to be bold as she moved her hand to the back of his head and pulled him back, their lips connecting once more parting a bit, the kiss, although still innocent enough was quite different.

Once it was over and both were breathless, she felt Gleb's hand move to her cheek as he smiled at her.

"That was…"

"I know…" He said, chuckling slightly as he leaned to kiss her once more, sweetly.

That date, those kisses and that smile were enough to make Anya want to defy her father a hundred more times.

* * *

The next couple of weeks were pretty perfect, it was as if Anya and Gleb were living in some kind of bubble, both of them hadn't gone home and it was weighing heavy on Anya, the idea of her father coming back from his trip that Friday. "Don't be nervous, I promise if it comes to it, I will talk to your father myself. Ask him for permission."

"Gleb, it's the 21st century and although my father might be a little antiquated, I can handle it." Anya said frustrated. She had of course admitted to him her father's rule of not being able to date boys until she was older, but Gleb was not just any boy and she would do anything to assure that they could still see each other.

"Alright, I'll let you do it then, but I just want you to know that I'm willing to talk to him if I have to." They were sitting on a bench by the dorms; it was an unusually warm afternoon for mid November. They had not been able to be affectionate enough since they knew they would get in trouble for it and yet, Gleb had found it hard not to want to lace her fingers with his and to place kisses on her forehead whenever he got the chance. He also had not been able to continue with Alexei's lessons since the team had had been practicing for their upcoming competition in January.

Alexei out of everyone was the more glad to have his sister and Gleb dating, he had called him the brother he'd never had and he would even help them when they wanted to steal some time alone.

Maria had scolded Anya for not telling her sooner. Her sister could tease her but she was always on her side too, and she was glad she had finally owned up to her feelings for Gleb, even if she was 17 and didn't have a boyfriend.

That Friday, Anya was meant to be going home and meet her father for a family dinner with her grandmama who was in town again, there was a part of her that was anxious and the other was excited to see her because her grandmother had always been her greatest confidant and she couldn't wait to let her know more about more Gleb.

"Have a good weekend Alexei." Evie said as they all met up with each other in the parking lot where Jeff was meant to be picking up the Romanov siblings.

"Are you sure you don't want us to take you?" Alexei asked. He turned to his sister and Gleb who were cuddled against each other for warmth, apparently.

"Oh, I guess, they wouldn't mind and it's cold. Mom would be glad we made it home early, Gleb, text her to let her know Anya is driving us again."

"Uh?" Gleb turned to his sister. "You don't mind?"

"Why would I mind?" She asked, but Gleb was proud and he hated having to depend on Anya for getting home. Yes, she had money and he could barely begin to save up for his own car but he had been raised right; he should be the one driving them home. "Gleb, it's alright..."

"Which part?" Gleb groaned but Anya was rolling her eyes at him but beaming, then put a hand to his chin and kissed him quickly just as Jeff was pulling over.

"Come on, stop fussing, it doesn't make you any less in my eyes for me to drive you home."

"No, I know, I just…"

"He's just proud; my Mom says that's his Russian blood talking." Evie said to Anya as she climbed to the back as Gleb helped Alexei from the other side.

"It must be." Anya said with a glint of mischief in her voice. "Come on or are you too proud not to sit next to me?" Gleb smiled as he climbed after her and closed the door. Soon enough they were dropping them at the flat and Gleb was kissing her again, wishing her luck with her father.

"You know that even if he doesn't approve of it, we're hardly going to stop seeing each other, right?" Anya said, grabbing his jacket's colla, pulling him closer.

"How could we? We have school."

"Gleb, I'm serious." Anya said. "I'm willing to not follow the rules, they are stupid anyway."

"Well, they are rules and are there for a reason." She pouted her lip at him. "But yes, I would do the same thing so that I would not stop spending time with you." He said to her, a hand to her cheek.

"Come on Gleb, or I'm going up without you!" Evie called which made both teens chuckle and pull apart reluctantly. Gleb turned and said goodbye to Alexei, and with another wave at Anya, followed his sister to the door.

Anya was still in a daze when they reached the house, she saw a familiar car parked by the side where the others were and she almost jumped off it when she realized her Nana was home.

She was in the living room, looking poised as always as they entered with their bags, her grandmama was not an old woman, since her Papa and Mama had married when they had been quite young but she was the wisest person Anya knew.

"My sweet ones, there you are. Where's Maria?"

"Oh, she had ballet, she'll come home later." Anya said with a smile as her grandmother made her way over to them so she could dot on Alexei who was already saying hello to his dog.

"Oh, alright, in time for dinner then, come on my sweet one, I want to know all about your day…" Maria said as she and Anya sat by a couch in the small sitting room by the foyer.

"If by her day you mean Gleb." Alexei said playfully as he came to join them.

"Oh, your young Russian boy?"

"Nana, do you have to call him that? His name is Gleb."

"Well, then, I am sorry, Gleb, how's everything going?" Anya didn't go into much detail since her brother was present but she couldn't help to smile as she talked about him. By that time, her Mother and sisters already knew about it and itdidn't take long for her grandmother to know too, in fact, it was then that she admitted to Anya to be there to work as a referee between her and her father if she needed her to.

* * *

Stephan was home when Gleb and Evie arrived, which was a nice surprise. "Children." He turned to them as soon as the elevator clicked open. "It seems your mother has some kind of playdate with your brothers I didn't know about, so how does ice cream sound, or is it too cold for it?"

Gleb loved having his father home, for when he was, he was not an Officer of Private service but a doting father and husband. He was not one to spoil them over too much as he wanted to teach them what real life was like, but there was one weakness in his life. Or two for that matter, and those were Evie and Linda, the women who had stolen his heart, he loved his boys all the same, but there was something special about them that he couldn't deny and Gleb often wondered if he had been that way with his mother too. He wished he could remember. "You are worried about something my boy?" His father asked as they sat inside the ice cream parlour, even in the cold, there were people going out for something sweet on a Friday afternoon. Gleb had not told his father much about Anya, very little in fact, and he would have told him even less if it weren't for his sister and Linda. "Is your mind wondering about that Romanov girl?"

Gleb turned to look at him. "I just wonder if I…"

"If you are good enough? Your mother told me about it, she said you are worried about what the social status between the two of you could mean."

"She's an ambassador's daughter and I'm…"

"You are a Vaganov, honorable enough for anyone, don't ever doubt it, I didn't raise you to doubt yourself or who you are, now you are sixteen and there are questions you might have about who you could turn out to be but not about who you are." Stephan said with a hand to his shoulder. "Is that clear Gleb?"

"Yes sir…"

"And well, your mother and I have been talking…" Stephan's tone lightened up a bit. "About how this moment would play out."

"What moment?"

"The moment you ask me for something for the first time in your life." Stephan said with a glint of nostalgia. "You were the one who was always giving and never asking my boy, so now it's time for you to tell me, what do you want?"

He had not asked for a brand new car, they couldn't afford to have one, but his father seemed adamant to do something about it. He had told him that he could use Ivan's since he wasn't home and he could share it with brother was in his last year at school and he had a girlfriend, he knew he would have to play his cards right to be entitled to borrow the car.

Gleb smiled to himself, it was too early to call Anya his girlfriend, they were still not at that point, especially if her father wouldn't approve of them dating but a part of Gleb was anxiously waiting for the moment he would be able to ask Anya to be his girlfriend properly, it was silly, yes but his father had called him honorable and that's what he would be, even if it meant to prove to Nicholas Romanov, he was worthy of his daughter.

* * *

"Anya, are you alright my love, you are awfully quiet." Nicholas asked her youngest daughter. Anya looked up from her lap; Alexei was next to her nudging her shoulder

"Yes Papa, fine." She mustered. Nicholas smiled as she turned back to his phone. They were in the car, on their way back from dinner. Anya had not risked telling him about Gleb at the restaurant; above all, her father was a public figure and couldn't afford to make a scene in public. She preferred to do it in private, away from the prying eyes of society and of his mother and sisters for that matter.

But she did know her father's night rituals and she would try to talk to him then. So, she waited for the lights to go dim at the house when she went down to the kitchen as soon as she heard him on the steps.

"Anya sweetheart?" She was proud of herself in knowing him too well, he'd come down to grab a glass of warm milk which helped him to sleep better. "Everything okay?"

"Papa, I was wondering if I could talk to you about something…"

"Of course my girl, anything. Come here sit. I'll get you a glass." Anya could not stand warm milk so her father grabbed a cold fresh one from the fridge and poured it. "How about some cookies? Mama doesn't have to know."

Anya smiled. If her mother had a weakness for Alexei, he certainly had one for her, she knew. "Is something wrong? How's St. Peters?"

St. Peters was yet to find out about her and Gleb. Only a handful of people knew about them as they had been careful around each other the last few weeks because the last thing she wanted was to have her father finding out about her and Gleb from school teachers or the headmaster. "It's fine. Alexei seems to have adjusted well and so have I, I suppose."

"Good, I'm glad; I have nothing but good memories with your uncles there when we were kids." Anya bit her lip. "So, whatever is bothering you, does it have to do with something else?"

"Someone more like it." Anya said, she looked down at her hands.

"Someone, Anya?"

"Yes, Gleb."

"Gleb?" Nicholas inquired. "What about him?"

"I...I like him Papa…"

"Of course you do, he's a nice young man, who has proved to be a good friend to you and Alexei."

"No, I know but Papa, I like him as more than friends." And then it hit Nicholas, like a bucket of iced water.

"Oh…" He began. "And does he like you the same?"

"Yes, he does." Anya said, a small smile playing on her lips. "And before you say anything, I know I'm young, but Papa, you said it yourself that you like Gleb and he's more than proved himself to be…" Nicholas's stare was frozen as he licked his lips, searching on what to say, his fingers gripping the glass of milk.

"Anya, we have rules in this family, I have an image to maintain, not to mention you are barely a child."

"I might be a child in your eyes Papa but I'm not a little girl anymore and Gleb, he's special to me." Her father's expression softened but before he could respond, they heard someone come into the kitchen.

"Why don't I hear shouting?" Alexandra asked. "She's told you, hasn't she?"

"You knew about her feelings for Gleb?"

"Yes, I think I've known about them before she did." Alexandra said tenderly, moving to put her hand on Anya's shoulder. Anya blushed, and then turned to her father.

"He did make quite the impression on all of us, that boy and he certainly is from a good family." Nicholas said, finally.

"He even said he'd ask for your permission if he had to." Anya admitted to her Papa shyly. A small smile appeared on his lips as Anya held her breath.

She didn't really want to defy her father in anyway, but if it came to it, she would.


	5. Sweet 16 Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’ve done a bit of a time jump. Part one of Anya’s special 16th birthday.  
Sorry for taking forever to update. Life got busy but apparently my muses for this story are back!

It was Anya’s 16th birthday. She couldn’t believe it had almost been a whole year since she’d met Gleb. A whole year since she’d met her best friend.

It hadn’t been an easy year for her but having Gleb by her side certainly made it easier. Alexei for his part was excelling at school and finally finding a place of his own amongst his classmates and friends but also loved hanging out with her and Gleb when he got the chance, it had been Alexei who had cheered for the older boy in the first place to her Papa of all people and her father, although reluctant, had decided to give Gleb a chance to prove himself and he’d done a good job so far.

“Good morning sweetheart, Happy Birthday.” Alexandra said as soon as Anya descended the stairs.

“Thank you, Mama.”

“Happy Birthday Anya!” Came Alexei’s excited voice as he came into the kitchen.

“So how does it feel to be sixteen?” Maria asked as she was helping her mother prepare her sister’s birthday cake.

“Not much different than it did 8 hours ago, but if I do feel any different, I’ll let you know.” Anya mused.

“Oh, honey, being sixteen marks a very important moment in a young woman’s life. It might not seem like it but in time things will begin to change, not right away of course, but gradually.” Anya bit her lip. It was still a few weeks before she would have to go back to school so she figured she’d try and discover just as much as she could about what being 16 meant and what her Mama was talking about.

* * *

She got ready for her party, all of her friends were coming and a few of Gleb’s that she’d decided to invite, specially Dimitri who had turned out to be quite the ally for them both in the last year. He had even caught Maria’s eye but neither of them had made a move on that since she was still a year older than Dimitri. “What do you think Jimmy?” Anya had asked her dog who slept beside her bed in his cot, always by her side. She was wearing a lovely summer dress and had her hair down, curls waving around her shoulders. Anya was not exactly thrilled to be wearing a dress, but the leggings under it made it comfortable and she actually liked the way she looked.

She glanced at her phone as it chimed on her desk, Gleb was letting her know he was on his way with Dimitri. He’d been the first one to call her on her birthday hours before, her boyfriend who was sweet and yet cautious because he wanted to be respectful with her father’s wishes, almost abided every rule the ambassador gave the boy because he wanted to always be on Nicholas’ good side.

Anya felt herself smile at the prospect of seeing her boyfriend, he had promised to take her out just the two of them later that night and she couldn’t wait.

He had said he wanted to make this an unforgettable birthday for her and it made Anya even more excited because of all the mystery surrounding it.

“Anya, Gleb’s here!” She heard her mother call for her about ten minutes later. She glanced at the mirror one last time, patting Jimmy’s ear as she climbed down the stairs and into the foyer. Her boyfriend stood there with his usual messy black hair combed like he wore to school, brown khaki pants and a dark shirt which made him look almost too grown up.

“Hi.” She said, at a loss of words.

“Hi, Happy Birthday, you look beautiful.” He beamed.

“Aww look at the two of you being cute.” Dimitri stood beside him, wearing a smile. “Happy Birthday Anya, thanks for inviting me.”

“I’m so glad you are here Dyma, thanks for coming.” She said with an equal bright smile. She and Gleb’s best friend had become sort of accomplices to one another, which annoyed him greatly but he also secretly loved. Hence now she could call him by his nickname. 

“All right then.” Dimitri said with a pat to Gleb’s shoulder as he whispered something to him in Russian Anya didn’t catch. 

“He’s going to go look for Maria, isn’t he?” Gleb guessed.

“Yeah, afraid so, he’s been all she can talk about for weeks since that day we spent at the lake.”

“Which might have been a mistake on our part to get those two together.” Gleb sighed.

“Well Maria might be able to keep Dimitri on the right path for once.” Anya giggled as she turned to face him, their faces inches apart. He kissed her softly but quickly as there were prying eyes everywhere and they went to join the rest of the people out in the yard.

Her father had arrived home from an assignment the night before and he was too quick to greet Gleb. His stance towards him hadn’t changed in the last year, which meant he still had respect for him and trusted him not to hurt his youngest daughter. Gleb was not about to give him a reason not to, but he was still an almost 18 year old boy.

“Glebka, you are here!” It was Alexei, he’d learned the term of endearment from Gleb’s father and it had turned into their own special thing. 

“Hey Alexei.” Gleb said with a kind smile. “Are you excited about the new term?”

“I guess, I’m still going to be ahead of my class but at least Evie will be there so I’m not too worried.” Alexei admitted with a shy smile. “How about you?”

On that note, Anya and Gleb tried hard not to think about it much, they still had a full school year to overthink just what that would entail for their relationship. Soon enough Alexei was called away by his mother and Anya was left alone with Gleb again. “So, I do have two gifts planned for you.” He admitted. “And this is, uh, part one.” Taking something from his pocket he asked her to open it. It was a bracelet, gold with blue stones, much like her golden hair and blue eyes which made him think of her.

“Gleb, it’s beautiful. Thank you.” She said, a quick peck to his lips. “There can’t possibly be more.”

“Yes, later.” He whispered in her ear and Anya’s heart skipped a beat.

* * *

The party moved along without a hitch, a few of Anya’s friends from St. Peter’s who were now her confidants since Maria had finished her school year this past June and was now working at St. Peter’s as a teacher’s aid would not be around for them to talk about boys much. Lauren and Sarah, one American, one British, but equally eager to share their misadventures at St. Peter’s and two of the few people Anya hoped she’d still be friends with once school was over.

“Will you be okay without me?” Anya asked as her friends were calling for her.

“I can take care of myself.” He said with a grin. “Go with your friends, I might have to find Dyma and make sure he doesn’t get into too much trouble.” Gleb laughed as he squeezed her hand and watched as her friends dragged her away, possibly to talk about the gift he’d just given her.

“Where’s Anya?”

“Snatched by her friends.”

“I am beginning to wonder if those girls are a bad influence for a good Russian girl like her?” Dimitri asked as they both stood by a couple pillars.

“It’s good that she’s got friends, it will make things easier when I’ve left St. Peters.” Gleb said taking a sip of his drink.

“Oh, yeah. Have you uh talked about that?”

“No, not yet. I think we’re both dragging it out.” His best friend admitted shamefully.

“And have you told her?”

“No, I haven’t even made up my mind about it Dyma, my father has only suggested it.”

“It seemed more like a request to me than anything else. I mean why does he want you back in Russia for?”

Gleb’s neck tensed up. He had not told Anya what his father’s plan for him after boarding school were, or that it required him to go back to his hometown. He hadn’t wanted to ruin Anya’s birthday and upcoming start of term.

He had only come as close to telling her that his father had insisted, he’d visit Russia more often. He had been there for 6 weeks with Ivan and David caring for his grandfather’s farm and the old man himself like he’d done since he was 12. In truth, he was glad his father allowed him to return for Anya’s birthday and the remaining of summer. But no, he hadn’t brought up himself to tell Anya what he’d discussed.

Or what the other option might be, he’d only told Dimitri about it.


End file.
